1.5 years in Atlanta today and still can't... (Boston: school, live)

[myspoonistoobig]

....understand a word some of you Atlantans say!

I'm half black Puerto Rican from NYC and moved down here for work. I work around lots of African Americans and at first thought it was awesome to be around other dark skinned people (kinda felt like I stuck out weird at my old job in Manhattan). But I quickly realized trying to decipher what black Atlantans say is like trying to translate Japanese.

I have to admit the accent black people have down here is unique and not all of you guys speak unclearly to me. But a large majority speak like Rich Homie Quan and I have no clue what you say sometimes.

I don't mean any disrespect to anyone but if I have a family down here is there a good chance my kids will have this accent? Or is it mainly in black families that have been here for generations? People tell me I have a NY accent with a Spanish twist which throws a lot of people off because most people assume I'm just AA. Wondering if I'll be able to understand my own children lol or more importantly if others will.

This question is out of pure curiosity and if it offends you I really didnt mean to.

[ThreeSides]

Originally Posted by myspoonistoobig

....understand a word some of you Atlantans say!

I'm half black Puerto Rican from NYC and moved down here for work. I work around lots of African Americans and at first thought it was awesome to be around other dark skinned people (kinda felt like I stuck out weird at my old job in Manhattan). But I quickly realized trying to decipher what black Atlantans say is like trying to translate Japanese.

I have to admit the accent black people have down here is unique and not all of you guys speak unclearly to me. But a large majority speak like Rich Homie Quan and I have no clue what you say sometimes.

I don't mean any disrespect to anyone but if I have a family down here is there a good chance my kids will have this accent? Or is it mainly in black families that have been here for generations? People tell me I have a NY accent with a Spanish twist which throws a lot of people off because most people assume I'm just AA. Wondering if I'll be able to understand my own children lol or more importantly if others will.

This question is out of pure curiosity and if it offends you I really didnt mean to.

I enjoyed the read and I understand your concern. My children are grammar school age and so far they haven't picked up the local dialect and accent. That said, we don't use, nor would we accept the use of certain words in our house, such as y'all. Although I can't speak Japanese, it's a very beautiful and rhythmic language.

I had to look up Rich Homie Quan. What kind of job do you have? Certainly, you're not working in a "professional" environment.

You are probably going to receive a lot of backlash for your question. Should be good!

[Atlanta_BD]

I'm am African-American and when I first moved here I couldn't understand a word anyone said to me either. It was like another language, and the locals would tell me I spoke too fast. You are not alone in this. It took me a while to adapt.

I've raised a daughter here and she doesn't have "that accent," perhaps because I don't have it, our family doesn't and none of her friends speak that way. If your kids are raised to not speak that way and their social circle doesn't, they should be fine.

But it does take some getting used to.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by ThreeSides

I enjoyed the read and I understand your concern. My children are grammar school age and so far they haven't picked up the local dialect and accent. That said, we don't use, nor would we accept the use of certain words in our house, such as y'all. Although I can't speak Japanese, it's a very beautiful and rhythmic language.

I had to look up Rich Homie Quan. What kind of job do you have? Certainly, you're not working in a "professional" environment.

You are probably going to receive a lot of backlash for your question. Should be good!

The word "y'all" is used pretty much nationwide. My buddy from NY who lives in Boston uses it and he has a PhD in genetics! Sure, it's more predominant in the south, but I don't think it has the stigma of ignorance or backwardness attached to it anymore. Heck, the President uses it and there is no doubt that he is an educated and wordly man (aside from what you may think of his politics).

[Atlanta_BD]

Funny enough I used to get into it with people at work when I first moved here. They tried to play me like I was slow because I couldn't understand them. I had to tell them that because they don't speak proper English, I don't know what they are saying to me.

[ThreeSides]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

The word "y'all" is used pretty much nationwide. My buddy from NY who lives in Boston uses it and he has a PhD in genetics! Sure, it's more predominant in the south, but I don't think it has the stigma of ignorance or backwardness attached to it anymore. Heck, the President uses it and there is no doubt that he is an educated and wordly man (aside from what you may think of his politics).

Brother Ansley, I don't care. My wife and I don't use it, nor will our children. I wasn't implying that the word y'all is exclusively Southern. Unacceptable, is all.

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

Funny enough I used to get into it with people at work when I first moved here. They tried to play me like I was slow because I couldn't understand them. I had to tell them that because they don't speak proper English, I don't know what they are saying to me.

I experienced the same when we lived in Memphis! I must have looked like this: .

[jsvh]

"y'all" is linguistically superior. Basically ever other major language has a plural version of the work "you" except for English, where it can be either singular or plural. "y'all" is that fix.

BTW, if you cannot understand people in the city don't try to go to exurb/rural Georgia. Atlantans generally have a pretty international / neutral accent.

[atler8]

You certainly have the right to reject ""Y'all" but I have lived here for 34 years & long ago dropped the use of my equivalent former "You guys" that I learned during my midwestern upbringing. I gradually dropped it & now it sounds so awkward & unnatural to me & I don't want to sound as if I just stepped off of the set of "Laverne & Shirley". When I hear my brother use that phrase, along with "Pop" for soda, I chuckle to myself a bit. I guess that I find "You guys" as unnaceptable for myself now.
Perhaps after a lengthy stay in Georgia, you might see "Y'all " a bit differently" & then again, maybe you won't.

[ThreeSides]

Originally Posted by jsvh

"y'all" is linguistically superior. Basically ever other major language has a plural version of the work "you" except for English, where it can be either singular or plural. "y'all" is that fix.

BTW, if you cannot understand people in the city don't try to go to exurb/rural Georgia. Atlantans generally have a pretty international / neutral accent.

That's an interesting bit of info.

Originally Posted by atler8

You certainly have the right to reject ""Y'all" but I have lived here for 34 years & long ago dropped the use of my equivalent former "You guys" that I learned during my midwestern upbringing. I gradually dropped it & now it sounds so awkward & unnatural to me & I don't want to sound as if I just stepped off of the set of "Laverne & Shirley". When I hear my brother use that phrase, along with "Pop" for soda, I chuckle to myself a bit. I guess that I find "You guys" as unnaceptable for myself now.
Perhaps after a lengthy stay in Georgia, you might see "Y'all " a bit differently" & then again, maybe you won't.

It seems that only a small amount of Americans use the term "pop". I certainly did growing up. A Pepsi or Coke was something that we enjoyed when we were treated to McDonald's. Otherwise, my mom purchased the pop that was on sale. I was clowned a lot for using the term when I was in the military. Today, I call the pop by its proper name. I will occasionally drink a Mountain Dew for the caffeine. Otherwise, I'm against the stuff.

No, I won't use the word y'all.

Laverne and Shirley. You went way back!

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by ThreeSides

That's an interesting bit of info.



It seems that only a small amount of Americans use the term "pop". I certainly did growing up. A Pepsi or Coke was something that we enjoyed when we were treated to McDonald's. Otherwise, my mom purchased the pop that was on sale. I was clowned a lot for using the term when I was in the military. Today, I call the pop by its proper name. I will occasionally drink a Mountain Dew for the caffeine. Otherwise, I'm against the stuff.

No, I won't use the word y'all.

Laverne and Shirley. You went way back!

What term does your family use in place of y'all?